Stereo Hearts
by Jameson Rook
Summary: "I'm standing outside your window holding a radio." He called back. "I want to say that I'm sorry for just disappearing."


_**I just realized how long its been since I wrote a good ol' Rick and Kate fic. So, here we go :) I thought of this today while I was at work, I hope you guys enjoy this one. The title and inspiration for this fic comes from the song "Stereo Hearts" by Maroon 5.**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC Productions. "Stereo Hearts" belongs to Maroon 5. **_

**I only pray you'll never leave me behind**

**Because good music can be so hard to find.**

**I'll take your head and hold it closer to mine,**

**Thought love was dead but now you're changing my mind.**

**My heart's a stereo, it beats for you so listen close, **

**Hear my thoughts in every note, oh.**

**Make me your radio, 'n turn me up when you feel low.**

**This melody was meant for you, so sing along to my stereo.**

It had been almost a week since Castle had set foot into the precinct. Beckett wouldn't say that she missed him, per se. She absolutely, under no circumstances, would say that she missed Richard Castle. However, the precinct did seem much more...boring since he'd gone. She couldn't shake the niggling feeling that her dinner with the district attorney, Marcos Deliani, had something to do with his sudden disappearing act. She felt guilty, sure, but miss him? No. Nope. Not one bit...

Okay, maybe she missed him bringing her coffee and breakfast. Yeah, that was it. She missed the soft vanilla tones of her morning latte and the buttery flakes of the bearclaw. She puttered around her apartment, wine glass in hand, and flipped through the file folders that were scattered around her kitchen.

The silence of her apartment was broken by a small _tap_ of something on glass. She glanced around a moment, quirking an eyebrow and scratching her head curiously. She stepped into her bedroom, bathroom and livingroom looking for the source of the noise, but when she found nothing, she returned to scanning the files in front of her.

She and the boys had been up to their elbows in a mobster conspiracy murder, which, as far as she was concerned, was right up Castle's alley. It had taken everything in her not to text him pictures of the crime scene when she walked in and found a man with his kneecaps caved in with a crowbar.

Another sharp _tap_ echoed through the room again and she instinctively reached for her gun this time. She extended it at arms length and stalked through her apartment once more.

The third _tap_ caught her attention as she walked past her kitchen window. She stared at it curiously for a moment, watching the light rain streak down the glass, before opening the window and peeking her head out. What she saw had her laughing hysterically and tilting her head in question.

"Castle, What're you doing?" She called down. Four floors below her, dressed in a pair of jeans, what looked like a powder blue button down, and a leather jacket, was Richard Castle. He stood on the sidewalk, people dodging around him to seek out refuge from the oncoming storm, with his arms extended over his head. Clutched between his hands was a large radio. The familiar notes of a love song floated up to her ears.

"I'm standing outside your window holding a radio." He called back. "I want to say that I'm sorry for just disappearing." She glanced down at him and shook her head, smiling softly.

"Get up here, Rick." She slipped back into the apartment and moved to the bathroom, grabbing some dry towels. He had his hand raised to knock on the door when she opened it. She couldn't think of a time that he'd looked more adorable. His wet bangs had flopped down into his shining blue eyes and his cheeks were tinged with pink from the rain. He set the radio on the floor next to the door and took the towel from her hands, drying his hair and face quickly. He shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on the rack.

They were both silent as he slipped out of his shoes and followed her into the living room. Kate sat on her couch, her feet tucked underneath her and patted the cushion next to her, gesturing for Rick to take a seat. When he did so, she inhaled deeply. Even soaking wet, and shivering from the chilling rain, Rick had a distinct smell about him. It was a combination of spicy cologne, expensive coffee and a musk that was purely Rick.

"So, you want to tell me what you were doing outside my window, holding a radio?" She honestly felt a little stupid just having to say those words. Rick pulled a shrug.

"I...well, you know...it worked for John Cusak, how come it wouldn't work for me?" He let his gaze lock with hers a moment before reverting them to his hands, which were clasped together in his lap. Kate let out a throaty chuckle and scooted closer to him, her leg brushing his. His skin felt as though it was on fire where she touched him. She hooked her thumb under his chin and tilted his head up until her was looking at her again.

"Who said that it didn't?" She whispered, her warm breath washing over his face. Rick felt his heart pounding in his chest as his gaze flicked to her lips.

"Kate?" He whispered, his eyes never leaving her lips. His hand moved across her rib cage slowly, pulling her into him.

"I'm ready to dive into this, Rick. I heard you." She replied quietly, cupping his cheek and brushing her thumb over his bottom lip.

"You what?" He quirked an eyebrow, not quite sure what she had meant. He swallowed roughly, the air in the space between them had gained more heat and humidity than he had ever thought was possible.

"I love you, too." Her voice was nothing more than a breath of a whisper any more, her lips brushing his as she spoke. Realization sparked through his eyes as he took in what she was saying. "I want you to be my one and done, Rick. You're my always." A tear of joy spilled over her eyelid and onto her ivory cheek. He brushed it away carefully with his finger and slid his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her lips to his softly.

The kiss was so gentle that Kate wouldn't have been sure that he had actually kissed her, were it not for the tingling in her stomach and the weakness in her limbs. When he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, there was no noise in the room other than the soft music still playing from his radio, and their ragged breathing.

Kate was confused when Rick slid off of the couch cushion onto the floor, crouching on one knee. He held her left hand in his and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw him reach into the pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a small velvet box and flipped it open in his palm. The ring that glittered back at her was perfect and completely...her.

"Katherine Beckett, I've had this ring in my pocket everyday for the past year. I've known since the day that you arrested me that you were going to be the woman I spend the rest of my life with. I'm not saying that we need to go out to Vegas and get married tonight but...someday. So, Kate, will you marry me and make the happiest man alive?" He looked at her through indigo eyes and saw her own shimmering with tears.

"Oh, Rick, of course. I have loved you for so long." He slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her into a standing position, holding her against him and kissing her soundly. Their chest were pressed together, and their hearts beat together rhythmically.

Someday. It wasn't a definite date, it wasn't something that he could mark down on a calendar. But it was everything. It was a promise of the future. A future that they would have together. And that was all that Rick Castle needed.

_** Reviews make my day! **_

_**J. Rook**_


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